1. Field of the invention
This invention provides a padlock; particularly, this invention provides an improved actuating mechanism, which can easily be fixed in place and easily be assembled.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the conventional padlocks, the coupling part of the cylinder has two actuating blocks, which are movably connected with the cam member. Between the cam member and the cylinder coupling part, there is a spring to enable the cam member to return its original position after the padlock being in locked position.
One end of the aforesaid spring is attached to one of the actuating blocks of the cam member, while the other end thereof is inserted in a small round hole on the wall of the lock body. As a result of the spring force and the space limit outside the cam member, installation of the spring is rather difficult. Since one end of the spring is simply hooked in place, it is susceptible to becoming disengaged from the actuating block; in that case, the lock will be out of order. It is particularly true to happen, when such a padlock is used on a container truck; the reason is that the spring can not be fixed in place securely.
Another prior art is that a spring is mounted between the cylinder coupling part and the cam member of the padlock; the spring is wound around a shaft with a salient block. After the shaft and spring being put in a positioning hole, the spring is movably fixed to the wall of the lock body portion. There is an inner shaft being mounted between the cylinder coupling part and the cam member; the other end of the spring is attached to one end of the inner shaft so as to provide a return force during the lock being unlocked and locked.
According to the aforesaid padlock, a spiral spring is installed between the cylinder coupling part and the cam member, and that padlock also has an inner shaft and outer shaft, whereby there are no drawbacks in assembling operation and to cause the spring to separate from the fixed part thereof in case of being shaken; however, that padlock needs a longer body portion so as to have sufficient space to accommodate the spiral spring, the inner and outer shafts.